Let me start by saying that I am a huge Oreck fan. I think that they make quality products that do what they say they do. However, I can't say that this product measures up. They are on the right track but have several details to work out yet. I already own a Shark steam mop but find the handle to be a little short (I am tall) and it doesn't hold enough water to do my whole kitchen area with one fill. I was quite excited to hear that Oreck had a steam mop. I went to the Oreck store and got a demo. I commented then that the 'pad' was loose and coming off while he mopped, and that the head of the mop was being uncooperative during the carpet refresh demo. He made excuses for all so I bought the steam mop. The mop holds about a gallon of water, and has a very tall handle and a long cord. All good things. The quality and construction are excellent. However, the first thing you notice is that it weighs more than your vaccuum. The pad is actually a piece of cotton duck fabric about a foot square with a strip of terry cloth like fabric down the center. Picture a baby diaper from 20 years ago. You lay that on the floor and use those yellow tabs in the picture to pinch the loose ends of the cloth under the yellow tab. I began to mop and noticed right away that the steam production is fast and strong, good, but the mop is very very hard to push. It is heavy and awkward to move and now I know why the salesman spent so much time showing me the shoulder movement I should use to push the mop back and fowards. The forward motion caused everything I picked up with the mop to be pushed into a line of bits and fuzz on the floor so I tried to turn the mop and capture the fuzzy stuff. Immediately the pad came unclipped. I repositioned the pad and tried again. Again the pad came off. I tried to mop around the bathroom toilet, pulling it longways along the side of the toilet, the pad came off. Each time I pulled the mop towards myself, the head of the mop leaves the floor, tilting on its back edge and drags back to me. When I push forward, it flattens out again. The mop handle stores all the water and electronics and weighs close to 10 lbs, the mop head on the other hand is a lightweight hollow piece of plastic. The design of the head is bad because it can't compete with the weight of that handle and because it is like a box, not a flat pad holder. I could not mop under the water shut off valves behind the toilet because the head is too tall and boxxy, nor under the kitchen cupboard kickspace nor under the door backstops along the molding, all because of the height of the head. Each of these places had to be done separately without the steam mop. Lots of rework that day and lots of frustration. It has a snap on piece for the head that lets it glide on carpet so I tried that as well. Like what I saw in the store demo, each stroke out was great, each stroke back found the head flipping up on its back and bouncing back or dragging back towards me. I really can't imagine that the tester of this product actually tried mopping or steaming with it before it was release to market. And yes, I tried bending down lower, changing my angle, going faster, slower, none of it helped. It has 2 rocker switches on the handle covered by a rubbery plastic box. One controls power, the other steam. After leaving the mop for several hours, I came back to find that the power\preheat switch light was out, but that the mop was hot. The switch wasnt fully off, just looked like it. Because of the rubbery box around the switches, it is hard to tell if a switch is completely clicked in one direction or the other and obviously the led on the switch isn't so sure either. Thats a fire hazard in my book. I have boxed this Oreck back up, first thing I have ever returned to Oreck, but it is going back and when they come out with a new improved model, I will give that a try. For now, I really don't think this design is ready for public consumption, too many engineering issues to work out.

The good:

Great construction, holds nearly a gallon of water, produces really good steam really fast, long cord.

The bad:
The water weighs far to much, handle pushes down so hard it makes the head flip up on every backstroke
The power switches are difficult
It is too heavy and awkward to be used as a window washer or steam cleaner as shown in the commercials. Imagine hoisting your heavy full size vacuum up to your windows or stove to clean with it.

The pad is useless because nothing sticks to it, it just collects anything it finds and leaves it at the end of your stroke, it needs to be more like the shark pad, thick, soft and absorbant.

The design of the yellow pad pinchers is rediculous, they don't keep the pad in place if you turn the mop head even a little - the pad comes off immediately. They are similar to a chip clip and are trying to hold a wet cotton cloth under pressure while moving. Not happening.

The head to too tall, can't mop under anything normal, and it is too light to stay positioned on the floor when fighting with the weight of the handle.

Though I appreciate the two previous reviewers giving so much detail, I truly believe they exaggerate the difficulties of using this product.

Overall, this is a "great" product. You will pay a little more because it is an Oreck, but quality construction, reliability, and the fact Oreck stands behind their products make the extra few dollars worth it.

My reason for purchasing a steam cleaner was to clean stone and tile floors, "especially" the grout. Frankly, this unit does such an amazing job with this, if it did nothing else well, I would still be happy. I will no longer have to waste time and money on "very" expensive grout cleaners and sealers that do not work. Trust me, the Oreck get's grout and tile as clean as the day you had them installed. I have used it on shower glass, the marble in the shower, and a stovetop with great success. My hardwood floors look great, and like my stone and tile, I will never have to buy expensive floor cleaners again.

The two micro-fiber cloths provided could definitely be larger, not sure what Oreck was thinking there. However, the cleaner is designed to use any micro-fiber cloth, so you can replace them anytime you like without having to buy them from Oreck. The clip system with the smaller cloths can be a bit of a challenge, but not so bad once you get the hang of it. Again, you can buy larger cloths at the local Walmart if they bother you that much.

When fully filled with water, the unit can be heavy for some if trying to do a job above the head, or at the shoulders, (yes you can put it above your head without it leaking). However, the easy solution is don't fill it all the way when doing these type of jobs.

PROS:

Great construction. Large tank, and comes to steam quick.

No expensive cleaners. No chemicals.

Cleans tile and grout making it look like new. Hardwood floors shine!

CONS:

Supplied cloths small, and don't work "great" with clips.

I've had this product a few days and used it on the kitchen floor, the bathroom floor, the bathroom sinks, the shower stall, the toilet, and a plastic step stool in the kitchen. So far, so good. I read all the negative comments and was sort of afraid to try this product. However, with a 30-day return policy, I figured I might as well give it a try.

The Steam-It holds a good amount of water, produces the appropriate amount of steam, and is not too heavy when lifting the item above your head.

It could use a longer and lighter cord. (This heavy cord makes me wonder how much electricity this mop really uses--must be a lot!) This item needs more pads included. When cleaning dirty surfaces, or expecting to do more than one item or room a day, two pads will not last any amount of time. I bought some microfiber cloths at another retailer to have enough for my cleaning projects. They worked okay, but I'd rather have more pads. The pads also shrink significantly, even when washed according to the directions. This makes the pads hard to clip onto the mop head.

When I cleaned the shower track in the bathroom, (as did a previous poster), I found the Steam-It effectively loosened the grime and all I had to do was wipe it away. I think the other poster was disappointed that the dirt didn't disappear without wiping. That is not what a steam mop will do. The same applies with a kitchen floor. I am not sure what "line of dirt" people are getting. Do they sweep or vacuum the floor prior to steam mopping? That should take care of most dirt particles and "fuzzies" on the floor. Steam mopping should occur after that.

Cleaning the interior of the shower stall doors was a challenge. This is a small space so getting the angle of the steam mop inside the shower took some time. I still wasn't happy with the angles I ended up getting, but I will give it another try.

Oreck should make a smaller, hand-held complementary product that is more portable for countertop use and use where the steam mop won't fit.

Like I said, I'm only a few days and a few projects in so far...but, so far, so good. Yes, there are improvements that need to be made, but it's an okay product for now.

I really like Oreck products and recently learned about steam cleaners from my roomate and we borrowed his parents steam cleaner for about a month, when I decided to just purchase one on our own. I chose this one because I really like to quality of Oreck products (but I decided to purchase it from Oreck and paid more than the prices here).

The other basic model seemed to move around the floor a little easier than the Oreck and the Oreck it heavier than the other steam cleaner. On the other side this cleaner seems to do a better job cleaning and seems to be better quality. The pads that come with it take forever to attach because they are to small. On the other side you can go and purchase your own pads since they are universal clips.

I understand where people are complaining about the weight, so if you do not want a little bit of a workout (not that it's terrible, but it takes a little extra work)

I also read some of the other reviews about a line of dirt on the floor etc. In my case even with the other steamer, I alway sweep or vacuum the floor first, then I use the steam it. I also did the same procedure when I used the old mop so the pre-cleaning procedure doesn't change.

Along with the deeper clean, I really like the continious steam that comes from this product. The other model had to be placed onto a pad and warm up then be used then stop. With the Oreck it is continious steam (or at-least for the amount of area I use it for). The wood floor is dry in about 10 minutes which is nice too. Previously with a mop, my floor always seemed to streak unless I dried the floor on my hands an knees.

I purchased this product in November of 09' when I was in the Oreck store purchasing bags for my vacuum. I had not seen or heard about it. I asked for a demonstration and was sold. I developed "buyers remorse" on the ride home and it went away the minute I used it. It is a fantastic product! I use it on wood - tile - Pergo - mattresses - windows - counters - carpet - mirrors - cabinets, etc......This is a product that was carefully developed. It is excellent and has made my housework much easier and more effective.
In my opinion; the retail price is less than what it is worth!

I spent quite a bit of time researching floor steamers before deciding on the Oreck Steam-It. I figured that if it worked as well as promised, it was worth the price. I brought it home and immediately put it together. It was a little tricky given the weight of the Steam-It even before it had water in it. I read the instructions, put some water in it, clipped the pad on and was ready to turn it on and get some cleaning done.

Well, I've got to agree with TechDiva. What a huge disappointment. This thing is extremely difficult to push back and forth on the floor. The pad gets very wet after a while. If you have carpel tunnel syndrome, tennis elbow, or shoulder issues, you will be in pain in no time. And the pad definitely does not stay on. Now add the fact that the pad is wet and VERY hot and the head is very hot also. This leaves you with two choices, risk burning your fingers or turn it off and wait until it cools a bit. When the pad is clipped to the mop head, the mop head does flip up on its back edge when pulling the mop toward you. It doesn't matter the direction you try mopping, the cloth will not stay on! This is very frustrating.

I changed mop heads and used the Steam-It on my bathroom ceramic tile. It did a good job; but, again, the little sock-type head didn't stay put very well even if it didn't come off. I took the head off and tried it on the shower track to see if I could get out of having to scrub it with a toothbrush. No such luck - it didn't do anything but make the track wet. Back to the toothbrush! I then cleaned the outside of the shower doors. It did a very good job of getting the pebbly-textured glass clean, but trying to maneuver 10 pounds of Steam-It isn't something I'd want to do on a regular basis.

I thought the cord was a bit short. It is also a very heavy-duty cord which makes it stiff and hard to wrap.

I'm glad Oreck has a 30-day return policy. My husband took the Steam-It back to the store today for a refund. He said the clerk looked rather surprised, but made the refund without comment.

On Sunday I purchased a Bona Hardwood Floor cleaner. There are 2 different styles, but I opted for the one where you can mount the cleaning solution on the mop. The solution sprays out (more like a mist, actually) when you pull the trigger. Very easy on the hand, elbow and wrist. Very large microfiber pad that attaches with a Velcro strip. The pad is made very well and is rather stiff so it keeps it shape and doesn't bunch up. It is also machine washable 300 times and replacement pads are available at the store where I bought it. So far, I'm very happy with the job it does.

Oreck is on the right track here with the Steam-It, but I wonder if they had anyone test it in actual cleaning situations before bringing it to market. I would stay away from this one until it undergoes some major design changes.

When my original Shark steam mop died after about 2 years, I purchased the Oreck. (I already had both one of their vacuums and the orbiter - both of which I love). The Steam-It definitely does a better job on my floors than the shark did. I have a lot of ceramic tile. In the kitchen if there were any dried spills, I would need to go over them several times with the Shark and pump the handle for more steam. The Oreck does it in one pass. The steam appears to be much hotter. I also like the fact that I can use my own microfiber cloths. I have a big bag of them from Sam's so I'll never run out. It also holds a lot of water - I only fill it halfway now - which is still enough to do all my floors. I have also tried it on the granite countertops - and though I won't say it's not awkward, it did do a nice job. As far as hard to push, I have not had any problems and I'm neither young nor particularly strong

I don't know what users expect but you first need to understand the premise of a "Steam Mop." It creates steam and the pad picks up the dirt that the steam breaks down. The steam is the cleaning agent and the pad is ONLY designed to pick up the grime. If you are looking for a Steam Floor Cleaner, this works much better than the Shark since you can do a concentrated grout cleaning first and then mop the floor. I have used both and in my opinion, this is worth the extra $100 dollars. It IS that much better.

As far as the comments about being unable to push it or the pad falling off-I have not had either issue. I like a lot of steam which leaves the floor slightly wet however with the ceiling fan on, the floor dries in under 1 minute. A higher steam setting makes it easier to push too.

What this is NOT:
1. It is not a vacuum so the floors need to be free of loose dirt therefore you need to vacuum first
2. It is not a standard mop or spray cleaner mop. This does not use soap/chemical based cleaners which make them easier to push.

What makes this better than other steam mops:
1. ADJUSTABLE STEAM KNOB: You can control the amount of steam. The steam control knob really adjust the steam from a little to a LOT. When mopping the floor, if you put it low, you will almost see no moisture but put it high and you will see wetness on the floor when done (but it dries very fast in my opinion-faster than traditional mopping).
2. VERSATILITY: You can hold it upside down and steam clean your grout in the bath tub or shower--this is a BIG PLUS to me.
3. GROUT CLEANING: The grout attachment REALLY works. Using the Oreck Tile/Grout concentrated spray, I cleaned my floor tile grout first and then switched to the mop attachment and my floor looks EXCELLENT.
4. You can clean counters, etc... but it is NOT light when filled. You need to be strong enough to use it for those applications. It is not "ideal" for counters but it will work. A cannister type steam cleaner would be better for that.

If you are on the fence, buy it and use it. If you don't like it, Oreck will take it back and give you 100% refund so what do you have to lose. That was the reason I tried it but now I am definitely keeping mine. I love it!!!

I just bought the Oreck Steam-It a week ago and used it for the first time today. Like others who have reviewed this cleaner, I am a huge Oreck fan and relied on my past experience with their vacuums to make my purchasing decision. After using it throughout my whole house today, I am unsure of keeping it. It provides plenty of constant steam but is very awkward to use. It did a great job on my wood floors, no excess water, dried quickly, and left them shining. However, it was hard to push and pull. The same on an area rug that I cleaned, even with the carpet attachment, it was terribly difficult to push back and forth. It cleaned but did not leave the rug very wet at all. Next, the bathroom. I cleaned all shower glass, the tile floor, the mirrors above the sinks, around the sink fixtures, and all the shower tile. It did a great job on the Shower Glass as long as I could position the cleaner correctly. It did leave enough water at the bottom from using the squegee but a quick wipe up with a cloth was all that was needed. It did an excellent job on the tile floors, in the shower and in the bathroom, and again did not overly wet the floors, and left them relatively dry and the finishing drying time was only about 5 minutes. It cleaned the tile on the shower walls well, but again, using the machine up off the floor proved awkward. It did a great job of loosening up the grime around the sink faucets and handles and with a quick wipe with a sponge afterwards, left the entire area very clean. It did a great job on my mirrors, but again, when you get to the bottom of the mirror, you are struggling with controlling the unit. So all of the good is that it did clean as promised. Now to the bad. As other reviewers have noted it is very heavy once it is filled and that extra weight contributes to the awkwardness of manipulating the machine when it is up off the floor. The tools to use with the floor do not work well as evidenced by the difficulty in pushing and pulling it back and forth. Other reviewers mentioned the clips to hold the cloths on as being useless. I have to agree, the design is poor. There was no way to get them clipped as tight as they needed to be, and the clips did not hold it tight as you mopped. My cloths never came undone totally, but they loosened up enough to create extra drag when trying to mop. So now I am left with trying to decide whether or not to keep the darn thing. I do love how it cleaned but it was such a chore to use that I am not sure I will want to put myself through all of that again. I just saw the ad on tv for the Shark Handhelp Pocket Steamer, and I have to say that looks as if it would be much easier to use. I have to say that I find it hard that whoever designed this, did not try using it in testing. I think it needs to go back to the drawing board. And yet, as much as I love Oreck, this just does not meet my expectations of an Oreck. I am sorry to say, I can not give my recommendation on this product.

I agree with the others who have written that this product is a good idea but was rushed to market before it was fully tested. First, the pads that come with the unit are designed to fit from side to side and pinch under the side of the clothespin-like clamps. Clearly, it would work better if the pad was clipped from end to end so it could be fully grasped with the clamps. I live in a lake house with 3 sets of french doors and floor-to-ceiling windows and was looking forward to using the Steam-It to clean all that glass. Forget it. I am an average size healthy woman and it was clumsy, if not impossible, to hold that machine upside down and sideways to clean the windows. The steam simply collected and left the glass wet. I had to get a roll of paper towels to clean up the mess. The instructions should warn users NOT TO USE IT ON PAINTED SURFACES. I did and it took the paint off. As well, it is very clumsy to change the attachments. It turns into a wrestling match with trying to hold the lengthy unit which twists and turns as you try to change the attachment. The machine is heavy to push on hard floors. It has nothing to help it glide.

Now, having fully vented against the machine, I have to say if was VERY effective in cleaning the floors. I have ceramic tile and hardwood and it did a good job on both. There were a few paint specks on the hardwood from a recent painting and it softened them enough that I could just rub them up. It also did a good job in refreshing the carpet and area rugs. The steam is immediate and is dispensed evenly. The tank holds enough water to clean my entire house although it made the machine so heavy I opted to fill it half-full and just refill it as needed. It has a wonderful little funnel that makes it very easy to fill. I also used it to clean the bricks on the fireplace hearth. I would caution anyone using it for this purpose to put a rag over the brush so you won't get soot on the brush itself. The machine is made so you can use your own cloths and not have to purchase the pads that come with the machine.

In summation, this is a good machine for floors but is pretty much useless for anything else. Also, you will have to trade the inconvenience of a flawed design for the clean floors. They need to withdraw this unit, take it back to the lab, and return it to the market after it has been perfected. I was conflicted over whether to return it and decided to try it one last time this morning. When I turned it upside down to reach the tile in the top of the shower water started to leak from the water tank cap. I couldn't stop the leak after turning the cap as tight as possible. So, I will return it.